Pen names:

Segawa Jokô III
Fujimoto Kichibê
Sawamura Kichibê [1]
Fujimoto Kichibê
Uba Jôsuke III [2]
Shibori Kichibê
Shibori Kichihei

Poetry name: Tobun

Existence: 1806 ~ 28 June 1881

Connection:

Master: Tsuruya Nanboku V

Disciples: Hama Hikosuke, Fujimoto Motosuke

In-law: Segawa Jokô IV

Career:

1806: born in Edo. His name is Rokurô. He keeps a gofukuya (drapery shop) in Edo.

5th lunar month of 1839: he becomes sakusha and works at the Kawarasakiza. His two first pen names are Shibori Kichihei and Shibori Kichibê.

11th lunar month of 1843: he becomes disciple of Tsuruya Nanboku V and receives the name of Uba Jôsuke III ^[2]; he works, along with the tatesakusha Kawatake Shinshichi II, at the Kawarasakiza on the drama "Osana Gunpô Jûroku Musashi", which celebrates the shûmei of Arashi Koroku V. others main actors are Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Seki Sanjûrô III, Nakamura Utaemon IV, Onoe Eizaburô III, Segawa Kikusaburô III and Nakamura Shibajûrô.

1845: he takes the name of Fujimoto Kichibê.

11th lunar month of 1845: Kichibê works at the Ichimuraza, along with Sakurada Jisuke III (tatesakusha), Fukumori Kyûji and Shimizu Shôshichi II, on the drama "Kaikei Shinoda Mitsuki no Funauta".

11th lunar month of 1848: he becomes tatesakusha and works at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Kin no Zai Chôja no Yumitori", which celebrates the shûmei of Sawamura Chôjûrô V. Kichibê is assisted by the sakusha Ichioka Wasuke, Teshima Shinzô and Umemori Harusuke.

9th lunar month of 1850: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the drama "Minoriyoshi Kogane no Kikuzuki", a revision by Kichibê of the ghost play "Banshû Sarayashiki" [more details].

11th lunar month of 1850: he takes the name of Segawa Jokô III, working at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Kigoto no Hana Homare no Kisoyama". He also works on the dance-drama "Yuki Furu Hana no Yoshino no Jûi".

4th lunar month of 1851: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Jokô's Tokiwazu-based dance "Kioi Jishi Kabuki no Hanakago", commonly called "Kioi Jishi", starring Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Bandô Takesaburô I, Onoe Kikujirô II and Iwai Kumesaburô III.

8th lunar month of 1851: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Jokô's drama "Higashiyama Sakura Sôshi" (commonly called "Sakura Giminden") [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1853: premiere at the Nakamuraza of Jokô's drama "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi" (commonly called "Kirare Yosa") [casting].

5th lunar month of 1856: premiere at the Moritaza of the first version of "Matsuura no Taiko", as 3 extended acts of the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". This program, which is written by Kyôgendô Sakô II and Jokô, celebrates the reopening of the Moritaza and is entitled "Shin Butai Iroha no Kakizome".

10th lunar month of 1861: premiere at the Moritaza of Jokô's drama "Zôho Futatsu Domoe" [casting].

3rd lunar month of 1870: premiere at the Nakamuraza of "Ume Goyomi Tatsumi no Sono", an adaptation to Kabuki by Kawatake Shinshichi II and Jokô of Tamenaga Shunsui's 1833 novel "Shunshoku Ume Goyomi" [casting].

28 June 1881: Jokô dies in Tôkyô; his tombstone is located in the Kôfukuji Temple in Mukôjima.

Comments:

Segawa Jokô III was an Edo/Tôkyô sakusha, who worked from the end of the 1830s to the end of the beginning of the 1880s. His two most famous dramas, which are still regularly staged nowadays in Japan, are "Kirare Yosa" and "Sakura Giminden".

"Segawa Jokô kept a gofukuya, or drapery shop, in Edo, and wrote plays because he felt an inclination to do so. Finally he was persuaded to give up his business, and he became a tatesakusha, or chief playwriter. He sinned in verbosity, and the actors tired of his long speeches. It might have been better for Jokô's peace of mind had he continued to deal in kimono and obi. His specialty consisted in dramatising the stories related in the yose, or places of amusement where the professional story-teller held forth. The eighth Danjûrô was successful in some of these pieces, and they are still favourites with playgoers." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")

[1] he used the name of Sawamura Kichibê for a short period of time between 1845 and 1850 but we don't know precisely when.

[2] Uba Jôsuke I and Uba Jôsuke II were Tsuruya Nanboku IV and Tsuruya Nanboku V.

The name of Segawa Jokô III in a 1860 Edo hyôbanki (the name within the red box); all the names were the sakusha at the Nakamuraza, Ichimuraza and Moritaza

The Uba Jôsuke line of playwrights

The Segawa Jokô line of playwrights